episode 4
air fresheners
Who tells us what clean should smell of?
Who knows what is in the fragrances used?
Do we need to surround ourselves with yet more chemicals, especially when their necessity is questionable?
In this episode we focus on understanding chemicals, risk assessment and policy
Pleasant smells have always been desirable – from artefacts found in Egyptian tombs to automatic sprays in public toilets today (OK, may be not those!). Fragrances used to be made entirely of natural ingredients like flowers, barks, deer musk and whale vomit (yup!). Over time more synthetic versions have been produced.
We have many types of air fresheners – sprays, plug-ins, gels, candles, plug ins, incense…if they use already regulated chemicals, like known toxic chemicals or allergens, the labels on the packaging need to disclose these. But if they are not known already, we need to wait till some harm is detected.
The entire world, including our bodies, are made of chemicals. But we don’t understand the potential impacts of all sorts of different chemicals in air, water, surfaces that we surround ourselves with – whether they are synthetic or natural. Some are useful and inevitable but the need for others are questionable.
We are not saying don’t use air fresheners – thoughtful use of products that make you happy is reasonable but perhaps pause a little before you reach for the next one. Listen to find out how we can use coffee, lemon, house plants, baking soda and, our favourite, vinegar, instead!
Thea Sletten, Principal Consultant at eftec (Economics For The Environment Consultancy), who is a specialist in chemicals policy and risk assessment, is our guest.
*** The views we and our guests express in this podcast are our own ***
reference list
Click the links below to find out more
The History
Home Fragrances: A Brief History, From Ancient Egypt To Today
The Ancient History of Perfume
Scents and sensibility: the history of perfume
The Regulation
REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals) Regulation enforced in the UK by the Health & Safety Executive – further info on the European Chemicals Agency website
CLP (Classification Labelling and Packaging) Regulation enforced in the UK by the Health & Safety Executive
UK guidelines on Volatile Organic Compounds in indoor spaces
Potential Impacts
Ten questions concerning air fresheners and indoor built environments
The science behind smelling like springtime: Scented Products Emit a Bouquet of VOCs
Why Air Fresheners Can Trigger Respiratory Problems
Study shows that Air Fresheners Can Trigger Allergy Symptoms
Essential Oils and Their Single Compounds in Cosmetics—A Critical Review
Domestic incense use and lung cancer in Asia: a review
Learn about perfume intolerance
Advice for people with contact allergies
How can scented products affect your health?
Your air freshener may be harmful to your health
Essential Oils: New Perspectives in Human Health and Wellness
further resources
Dive into the data
Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, 2009. The Presence Of Fragrance Allergens In Scented Consumer Products. Bilthoven: RIVM.
True Test, 2012. Patient Information: Fragrance Mix. Your TRUE TEST® indicates that you have a contact allergy to fragrance mix. Denmark: Smart Practice.